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I'm so nervous UPDATED

Hi. I'm pretty new to this group. My daughter is 6 and is currently repeating Kindergarten in PS. She has been diagnosed with ADHD and after almost a year of trying different meds we decided we no longer want her on stimulants. However, when she is not in a zombie like state the school can't seem to handle her. She spends each day in the hallway or another classroom for disruptive behavior. We get notes home constantly. She is a hindrance to herself and others. I am so sad for her. It's clear to me that the current way of doing things is not working for her. She does not learn the way the school expects her to. SOOOO we have decided to homeschool. She is such an awesome person and she is so smart. I think this could be really good for her but I am unsure of my abilities. Be prepared for a lot of questions from me! :D

Today I am going to the school and giving the principal our letter to withdraw my daughter from school. I will still have 2 other kids in PS so I really hope there isn't any ill feelings towards us. I'll update when the papers are turned in. Her last day is the 8th (before fall break). I have TONS of learning stuff for us to do but no boxed curriculum. I am planning on buying some things soon like MUS and games and such to supplement what I have. I hope I am doing the right thing.

UPDATE: So I was nervous until about 10am when i get a call from the teacher. She said, "your dd hasn't gotten in trouble but I am having a sub come so I am removing her from my class for that." I was like, ".....ooooook" and she said, "she can't go to this class or this class or this class so I am going to have to put her in with your son..." I'm pretty sure the teacher is trying to bully me into medicating her again. (she has sent notes home for everything including sucking her thumb and told me that she didn't think her current medication was working when she knew she was no longer on a stimulant) It was my reassurance that I needed that I am making the right move. Honestly we have never gotten ANY notes home that she was being violent or anything of that sort, its always her hyperactivity...so I'm not really sure why she couldn't let the sub know that she could send kids across the hall...It's not like my daughter would try to hit her or something. thats not her style. She is more of a bossy type and hyper.

I went to the school and told the principal. She brought me in the office and tried to talk me out of it. She assumed I was taking her out because I was angry but thats not it at all. There are many many reasons and we've been thinking about this for a very long time. She then started giving me advice and telling me that some kids have no structure at home (I guess she thinks I don't discipline my daughter) and that I'm really going to have to be dedicated to being structured because if I send her back to school she doesn't want to have to re-teach her to be in a classroom (to be civilized, I guess...) Overall the meeting was good and I feel good about my decision. Now we just need to be successful. I know that was long but I just get so frustrated with the school when they tell me she has issues with ADHD or that they think she needs to be evaluated and they admit that she has a problem that she can't control then they act like I am just not an active parent and I don't do anything to try to solve her problems. I AM so structured and I work SOOOO hard for her. I just pray this pays off. Thanks for reading.

I might suggest that if your daughter was acting like a zombie on her meds, the medication was wrong or the dosage was wrong; only if they are OVER medicated should they act like that. My daughter is medicated ADD (on Vyvannse), goes in every few months for a "med check" and for her dosage to be reevaluated, and certainly does NOT act like a zombie - at all. She takes "just enough" medication to allow her to successfully focus on her work and activities.

Regardless, back to your issue. I think homeschooling is an excellent choice. You'll do fine! Just make tons of time for play, while still focusing on academics. You might give a 30 minute break between subjects. Remember that this isn't public school - if she wants to skip while reciting her spelling words, more power to her. Having a snack (heavy protein) on hand WHILE working can be a great way to maintain focus.

I am a Home Schooling, Vaccinating, Non spanking, Nightmare Cuddling, Dessert Giving, Bedtime Kissing, Book Reading, Stay at Home Mom. I believe in the benefit of organized after school activities and nosy, involved parents. I believe in spoiling my children. I believe that I have seen the village and I do not want it anywhere near my children. Now for the controversial stuff: we're Catholic, we're conservative, and we own guns (now there's no need to ask, lol). Aimee

Good luck! My oldest son was homeschooled from the start but if he went to ps, he would have had the same problems. There are a lot of things to do to help these high energy kids. I suggest getting a white board she can stand and do her work at. My son does almost all of his work standing up or balancing on one foot. We also have very short lessons. At Kindergarten level they were no more than 10 minutes long plus heavy on games.

You will do fine. My LO is undiagnosed, but I think he has ADHD. I refuse to medicate until he's much older (he's 4). We use our whole body to learn so that he can focus better. We are also much better at keeping a bed schedule with all the boys at home. He sleeps better and he can snack and move when he needs to.

MUS is a great choice for someone who needs to move and do things.

Maybe a short deschool would help. It'd best to remember that it isn't public school. You don't need to follow the school method.

YAY!!!!!!! Good for you mama, you know her best!! She's going to do great! This is the exact reason I'm homeschooling DD, she is CRAZY CRAZY active and would be labeled as ADHD and all that other stuff. Even if she really had it, she's CRAZY smart, probably gifted and I know the PS would fail her.

I knew she was special even in utero. I had about 5 different midwives say....I hope you are ready to chase this baby around, it's super active. No lie! It's from her father! He's super smart and cannot sit still, cannot pay attention and was always getting into trouble when he was younger. Thankfully he didn't go to school in this country or he would have been labeled and on meds too!

watch her and learn how shes learns and teach her that way, you might need to keep the lessons short, but doing a bunch of short lessons is great! you dont have to go about schooling like the public school does, find your own way of teaching your daughter, maybe she learns better in the morning or the afternoon or evening, its something you'll figure out as you go along, what really has helped me with homeschooling is making a lesson plan each week so i have a general idea of what im gona teach, and wont be looking around for something while the kids are waiting for mom to get it together!hahaha

remember to do hands on stuff, games, lots of playing time, reading time(you reading to her) and both of you taking turns reading, find out what she likes to do and include it in the lessons, and have fun teaching!!! you are both learning!

I might suggest that if your daughter was acting like a zombie on her meds, the medication was wrong or the dosage was wrong; only if they are OVER medicated should they act like that. My daughter is medicated ADD (on Vyvannse), goes in every few months for a "med check" and for her dosage to be reevaluated, and certainly does NOT act like a zombie - at all. She takes "just enough" medication to allow her to successfully focus on her work and activities.

Regardless, back to your issue. I think homeschooling is an excellent choice. You'll do fine! Just make tons of time for play, while still focusing on academics. You might give a 30 minute break between subjects. Remember that this isn't public school - if she wants to skip while reciting her spelling words, more power to her. Having a snack (heavy protein) on hand WHILE working can be a great way to maintain focus.

We go to the psychiatrist next week and we will discuss more options. However, she has taken the lowest dosage of vyvanse and others and those haven't worked for her. I don't mind medication but it doesn't seem to work for my dd. I want her to be herslef still and medication robs her of that. It may be because she is so tiny. Maybe it would be different if she was bigger.?? Idk
Haha and thanks!! I love the idea of skipping while spelling and I think she would too!! I want to do a good job.

She may simply be too little for anything time released (like Vyvannse). When daughter was much younger, she was on the NOT time released Adderall - which could be cut in half.

Quoting Mweddle:

Quoting AutymsMommy:

You're going to do fine.

I might suggest that if your daughter was acting like a zombie on her meds, the medication was wrong or the dosage was wrong; only if they are OVER medicated should they act like that. My daughter is medicated ADD (on Vyvannse), goes in every few months for a "med check" and for her dosage to be reevaluated, and certainly does NOT act like a zombie - at all. She takes "just enough" medication to allow her to successfully focus on her work and activities.

Regardless, back to your issue. I think homeschooling is an excellent choice. You'll do fine! Just make tons of time for play, while still focusing on academics. You might give a 30 minute break between subjects. Remember that this isn't public school - if she wants to skip while reciting her spelling words, more power to her. Having a snack (heavy protein) on hand WHILE working can be a great way to maintain focus.

We go to the psychiatrist next week and we will discuss more options. However, she has taken the lowest dosage of vyvanse and others and those haven't worked for her. I don't mind medication but it doesn't seem to work for my dd. I want her to be herslef still and medication robs her of that. It may be because she is so tiny. Maybe it would be different if she was bigger.?? Idk
Haha and thanks!! I love the idea of skipping while spelling and I think she would too!! I want to do a good job.

I am a Home Schooling, Vaccinating, Non spanking, Nightmare Cuddling, Dessert Giving, Bedtime Kissing, Book Reading, Stay at Home Mom. I believe in the benefit of organized after school activities and nosy, involved parents. I believe in spoiling my children. I believe that I have seen the village and I do not want it anywhere near my children. Now for the controversial stuff: we're Catholic, we're conservative, and we own guns (now there's no need to ask, lol). Aimee

Completly off topic....I have a high energy child who would drive anyone insane because she just can't be still. We had to put her on an elimation diet to find out what was causing reflux. We found that corn was causing her reflux...as well as contributing to her hyperactive tendancies. Just something to think about.

Just be wary of this line here. Especially with a child that has had a poor experience in school and has any extra challenges.

Be wary of how you define success, and don't get caught in how the school, your family, your peers, etc... define success.

Embrace the trial and error it takes to succeed, too.

Quoting Mweddle:

Overall the meeting was good and I feel good about my decision. Now we just need to be successful. I know that was long but I just get so frustrated with the school when they tell me she has issues with ADHD or that they think she needs to be evaluated and they admit that she has a problem that she can't control then they act like I am just not an active parent and I don't do anything to try to solve her problems. I AM so structured and I work SOOOO hard for her. I just pray this pays off. Thanks for reading.

Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
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